Beyond Fake News

Justin P. McBrayer is Professor of Philosophy at Fort Lewis College, the liberal arts college for the State of Colorado. He is Executive Director for the Society of Christian Philosophers and Co-Editor of A Companion to the Problem of Evil (2013), Introducing Ethics (2013), and Skeptical Theism: New Essays (2014).

"Should be required reading for as large a segment of the general populace as possible and a mandatory addition to community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject."Midwest Book Review"Justin McBrayer offers a wonderfully engaging account of our current predicament regarding the spread of misinformation, and what we should do about it. This book is a joy to read, and full of insight."Duncan Pritchard, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Irvine, and author of Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction"Professor McBrayer deserves a lot of credit for tackling the problem of fake news and misleading information head-on. With very clear and accessible writing, he offers a fascinating look at how we got into our current situation and how we can fall prey to misinformation. Most important of all, he gives us good advice about how we as individuals and as a society can do better. Highly recommended!"Christian B. Miller, A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University, and author of The Character Gap: How Good Are We?“This is a very fine book, much needed in these times, when truth is an endangered species, and fallacies abound. McBrayer writes in a lively, clear, accessible style, and he gives insightful practical advice for sorting through all of the misinformation by which we are bombarded. It is enjoyable to read--and important to read! I highly recommend this book.”John Martin Fischer, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Riverside“This book is excellent! Justin P. McBrayer does what any writer who wants to persuade others should do: he anticipates what those who hold opposing views might say and responds to their arguments. I’m an adjunct professor who teaches mass media, and I see the value of this book for my students. But readers don’t have to be in a scholastic setting to benefit from McBrayer’s book. Anyone who’s interested in the topic of fake news will learn much.”Joe Wisinski, Adjunct Professor of Mass Media

• Part 1: The Misinformation Market 1. Informational Litter 2. It’s the Economy, Stupid: The Supply Side of the Misinformation Market 3. Ignorance is Bliss: The Demand Side of the Misinformation Market Part 2: Why We Fall for Misinformation 4. Big and Little Questions 5. Intellectual Blind Spots Part 3: How We Can Do Better 6. Building a Bridge 7. Trusting Others 8. Finding the Truth 9. Cleaning Up